-
-
Experiences
▼
-
Boats
▼
-
Destinations
▼
-
Crazy Crab
▼
Tel: + 1 (345) 927-2722Email: [email protected]
-
Experiences
If you are coming to the Caribbean for vacation, chances are you have a little beach time on the agenda. Grand Cayman is known for the world-famous Seven Mile Beach - well worth a visit as it is more stunning than any picture can ever do justice. However, there are many lesser-known, sweet and serene beach stops scattered about the rest of our island that are truly hidden gems.
In addition to swimming and snorkeling, this beach is a great place to see some of the local culture of West Bay. Check out the vendors if they are around for a local souvenir or refreshing coconut water straight from the coconut. On the weekends, take in the smells from the BBQs and the sounds of spirited dominos players. Pack a picnic lunch, or try some local Caribbean food from Heritage Kitchen, located just down the road. With showers and public restrooms on site, this beach is a great choice for families.
Starfish Point is located in Cayman Kai, about an hour drive from George Town. Nestled in the leeward corner of the North Sound, the shallow waters are almost always calm, and there is plenty of room to spread out, making this beach a great spot for a half or a whole day. You are sure to see folks visiting the starfish via boat excursions too, so Starfish Point is the quietest when the cruise port is empty. Restaurants are more sparse on the eastern side of the island, so be sure to plan accordingly and brings drinks and snacks. Plenty of parking, but no public restrooms.
Located in a national park on the eastern side of West Bay, Barkers Beach is nearly untouched. This long-stretching, remote sandy beach is the perfect place to escape. In fact, you may not see a single another soul all day, during the week anyway. With lots of trees providing shaded hidey-holes and shallow, clear water, Barkers Beach is the epitome of serenity, perfect for relaxing, swimming and snorkeling. Keep your eyes open for kite surfers’ colorful sails in the sky and consider taking a lesson yourself! There are no bathroom facilities here, so make sure you hit the restroom on the way up!
Situated on the north end of Seven Mile Beach, Cemetery Beach is a good place to get away from the hustle and bustle. Why put a cemetery on a beach, you ask? The earliest settlers of Cayman lived inland, as the sandy coastline is more at the mercy of wind and rain. As a result, the beaches became burial grounds. Parking is available along West Bay Road. Head out for a snorkel and see if you can find the memorial plaque in the reef!
Easy to get to and just over an hour drive from George Town, Kaibo Restaurant and Beach Bar is a quiet locals spot to relax with a cocktail on a sunbed or read a book in a hammock. This is a great shallow swimming area for kids, with restrooms, and food and drinks available all day long. A morning or afternoon at Kaibo is great to combine with any other area of East End that you may want to investigate, such as the Cayman Crystal Caves, Queen Elizabeth II Royal Botanic Park to see the blue iguanas or a drive sight-seeing around the perimeter of the island.
South of George Town, Smith Cove is a lovely spot to snorkel from the shore. Keep watch for fish and stingrays, but also have a look at the ironshore rock walls for anemones, mantis shrimp, plumes of feather worms and all variety of funky invertebrates. Watch for kids jumping off the ironshore into the water at the special jump spot too! There are picnic tables scattered around and public restrooms and showers for every convenience during your beach day. This is a popular one for the locals, so be mindful that it does fill up quickly in the evenings and on weekends.
Spotts Beach is about a twenty-five-minute ride or drive from George Town and is on the public bus route. You will not find much coral reef to snorkel here, as the bottom is composed of rubble areas and lots of turtle grass, which brings in the (you guessed it!) sea turtles! The best chance to see the sea turtles feeding here is in the early to mid morning and mid to late afternoon. These are magnificent creatures and have grown used to human presence, however, do not touch them because it can make them sick! Also keep your eyes peeled for conch, stingrays, squid, and octopus. Portable restrooms are available, and plenty of shade from trees and pavilions.
Colliers beach is settled on the far eastern side of East End, the more peaceful and less populated side of Grand Cayman. With public restroom facilities, showers and shade pavilions, you could plan a full day at Collier’s or combine a half beach day with a little exploration of the rest of East End. Remember, options for restaurants are limited on this side of the island, so bring snacks or plan a lunch stop, perhaps some of the island’s best local cuisine from Grapetree Cafe, or get really adventurous and try some invasive Cayman “tree chicken” or lionfish from Tukka! Eat ‘em to beat ‘em!
Grand Cayman is rich with beautiful beaches and accompanying wildlife to see. All of the beaches we have listed are accessible by car, but there are two that are easily reached by boat in the North Sound: Starfish Point and Kaibo Beach. Let our guides at Crazy Crab incorporate these stops into your private boat charter with us! Arrive in style with two of our local and knowledgeable guides on your own private boat, and let us share heaps of local intel we’ve put together just for you! We want your visit to Starfish Point, and other stops like Stingray City and Cayman’s many world-class snorkeling spots, to be as informative as you would like and meaningful as possible. Not only are our guides the best, but our boats are the best.
From a traditional monohull speed boat to our brand new World-Cat catamarans, all inclusive of bathrooms, freshwater showers, sturdy and easy-to-use ladders for guests of all ages, water, and juice provided on board, a Bluetooth stereo system and food for the stingrays, our boats are the perfect size and of the utmost convenience, with every comfort to provide for every need or every member of your family or friend group. Start planning your adventure with Crazy Crab today!
Grand Cayman offers a wide variety of fun activities for kids of all ages and all interests. Island life and ongoings certainly revolve around the sea, but the island itself deserves reconnaissance too. Check out these top ten experiences around all parts of the island we have found that kids love.
“Awh, please, can we keep him?!” If you have heard this from your kids before, they are sure to love all the animal encounters that are available here in Grand Cayman.
This captive breeding area for the Blue Iguana is the only place in the world where they can be seen, as they are endemic from Grand Cayman alone. Take a walk through the beautifully manicured nature walk paths to see native plants, illusive agoutis and of course, the Blue Iguana. Meandre to the lake catch the West Indian Whistling Ducks and keep your ears strained for the distinctive call of the Cayman Parrot. Be sure to ask for the kids’ scavenger hunt at the front desk for a guide of all the highlights within the Park. For more information about the Blue Iguanas fight for their lives, ask about a guided tour.
About a 25-minute ride from world famous Seven Mile Beach lies a quaint little beach where the green and hawksbill turtles come in to feed. Rent or pack your own snorkel gear for a chance to see the beautiful, endangered animals in their natural habitat in shallow seagrass flats at Spotts Beach. This public beach is located just behind Spotts Cemetery and has porta-potties, wooden shade pavilions and parking on site. Be sure to consult the signs for more information about the turtles and heed the warnings about not touching them, as we don’t want to make them sick!
Whether going by car and planning an all-day beach day or visiting via a charter boat, the shallow, tranquil waters of Starfish Point are paramount of relaxation. The smooth sandy beach is great for building sand castles or soaking up the sun, and of course, you’ll see Red Cushioned Starfish. Able to reach up to two feet across and bright red or orange, you cannot miss the starfish dotted about. Handle them with care, as they are a living animal, and must not be removed from the water. For a little friendly competition to mix up your day, find at least two starfish, gently turn them over and place them back down on the sand. These critters do not move very fast but after a few minutes, you will see a funky trick the starfish can do!
For all animal and ocean lovers, Grand Cayman’s most popular attraction is a must see! Stingrays have been congregating around Stingray City Sandbar for more than 50 years. Before they were hand fed by visitors, the stringrays scavenged on fish carrion leftover by the fisherman; this shallow area provided the perfect space for a fish cleaning station. Now the stingrays associate the sound of boats with a free meal. In addition to feeding the rays, visitors can get a good luck kiss and even try holding the amazingly docile rays. Stingray City is not reachable by car, so make sure to reserve your spot on one of the many boats that go to visit the stingrays.
Especially if your kids are taking time off school for your vacation, visiting the Cayman Islands National Museum or the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands is a fun and interesting way of learning about what it means to be Caymanian. Perusing exhibits at your own pace for a short hour will give incite on the brief history of this ocean culture and stimulate imaginations around how pirates utilized the resources here, how people survived swaths of mosquitos and what role this played in the creation of Stingray City, how the first people brought income to the island by braiding palm fronds and how the locals have survived the mighty hurricanes over the years.
“Welcome aboard, explorers!” ~ Mr. Ray, Finding Nemo
The eastern side of Grand Cayman has the biggest land mass on the map, however, it is less densely populated. Half a day’s drive around this side allows for an intimate exploration of some of Grand Cayman’s off-the-beaten-path treasures and historical commemoratives. All heritage sites are marked with brown signs by the main road, and there are a bunch! Every ten or fifteen minutes there is a possible destination to stop and explore which include numerous beaches, the oldest building on the island: St. Pedro’s Castle, pirate caves, the Blow Holes, the historic walk of Wreck of the Ten Sail, Davinoff’s outdoor sculpture display and more. Consider stopping for lunch for some local Caribbean fried fish at Grapetree Cafe in Bodden Town, try the Cayman Tree Chicken at Tukka, Cayman’s iconic Australian restaurant or stop for the world’s best mudslide at Kaibo all the way at the end of the road. This fun-filled day of delving into the nooks and crannies of Cayman is sure to be among the highlights of your visit.
The naturally forming Crystal Caves are a newly opened attraction in Cayman and are well worth a visit. The intricate patterns of the stalactites and stalagmites add a new dimension to a guests perception of Cayman’s terrain. Plus they allow for some fun finding funny shapes within them, which your guide will be happy to spend some time doing with your kids and showing them some of his/her favorite look-alikes. Look for pools of cool fresh water that were once coveted by pirates who stopped to stock up for the next legs of their journeys, and if you get dripped on its good luck!
The snorkeling in Cayman is world-class because of the clarity of our waters, but do you ever wish you could get down off the surface and be up close and personal with the reefs? Discover scuba diving is an excellent opportunity for you and your kids (10 years and up) to learn and try something new. After a short 30 minute orientation, an instructor will take you down from the surface to have a closer look at the colorful fish, lobsters, and eels, but also the macro life, shrimps, crabs, and nudibranchs you may not have even known were there. Your instructor will be in charge of all your gear and will always be an arm length away. After approximately 30 minutes your instructor will return you to the surface and have a debriefing session about things you saw during your visit to what is truly a whole other world. You may find diving to be like potato chips… You can’t have just one!
Imagine being able to shape your own galaxy of twinkling stars with a simple movement of your fingers. Grand Cayman’s Bioluminescent Bay is a breath-takingly unbelievable spectacle that has been described like this. The glowing can only be seen at night in the calm, protected, warm waters of the Bio Bay. There are only a few of these bays in the whole of the Caribbean, so this excursion is truly a special treat sure to beguile and stimulate every young mind in your family.
Tarpons are a medium sized game fish - not good for eating but put up a good fight. The tarpons in Cayman have become accustomed to enjoying a good meal if they hang around the right places. Enjoy a meal at Lobster Pot, Rackams or other tiki deck restaurants in George Town, and listen for the feeding bell after sunset. Ask your server where to go to get the kids in on throwing scraps to the big fish too!
Undoubtedly the best way to experience Stingray City, Starfish Point, world-class snorkeling, the Bioluminescent Bay and any other variety of the sea-based wonders in Cayman is a private boat charter. Hiring a boat with two crew that dedicate all of their attention to your needs for a day on the water, and organize your adventure around the rushes at each stop, makes all the difference in making your day unforgettable.
At Crazy Crab, our crew members are not only qualified boat operators with knowledge about the animals and environment, they are also trained in CPR/first aid and have special experience in working with kids. Whether trained scuba instructors, kids camp organizers or counselors, or parents themselves each crew member has their own way of making kids’ experiences with us engaging and FUN while making all activities accessible to everybody in your family, no matter how big or small! Each of our three boat choices is equipped with a bathroom on board, shade, water and juice boxes, towels and kid-sized safety gear and snorkeling equipment.
When the kids are happy, parents are happy. When parents are happy, our crew are happy. So, our staff knows that for everybody to be happy, we have to start with your kids. We look forward to seeing you and your kids on the boat for a fun day full of adventure for everyone. Start planning today!
Which member of your family is the outdoor adventurer? How about the beach lover, or sightseer? Any food connoisseurs, perhaps? Planning a vacation for all generations and extensions of your family may prove difficult some places, but there is a little something for everyone here on the beautiful, tropical Caribbean island of Grand Cayman.
One of Grand Cayman’s most popular attractions is not reachable by car, only by boat - and that is Stingray City. Over decades of local fisherman using the standing-depth sandbar in the middle of the North Sound as a fish cleaning station, the stingrays have learned to associate the sound of boat engines with a free meal. The tradition continued after Stingray City was established among Cayman’s tourist attractions by visitors hand feeding the rays as part of the experience. Though they are not typically considered a good candidate for a “pet”, the stingrays are amazingly docile, friendly and even cuddly! The waist-deep water at Stingray City sandbar is perfect for every adventurer in your family, no matter their comfort level in the water.
While you are out, why not stop to do some world-class snorkeling, search for vibrant starfish in the shallows of Starfish Point, cruise through the tranquil mangroves for a look into Cayman’s natural past, or immerse yourselves in the glowing waters of the Bioluminescent Bay? A day on the boat in Grand Cayman is a spectacular way to see many of the island’s natural attractions all-in-one, and the huge variety of options of boats on the island offer every span of amenities so your family is sure to have everything they need for a great day on the water.
Grand Cayman has several must-see attractions that are land-based and everyone in your family will love. Imagine being a family of pirates in search of freshwater while exploring the underground Crystal Caves, or embark on a safari in search of Caymans’ endemic blue iguana at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. Introduce a little friendly competition in your group by picking up the scavenger hunt list at the front desk of the Botanic Park and see who can find the most items on the list!
And of course, what is a Caribbean vacation without a little time spent lounging on the beach soaking up some rays? Whether it is right in front of your hotel or condo on world-famous Seven Mile Beach, or at one of Cayman’s unmanicured, hidden gem beaches, there are endless options for your perfect recharge spot to build sand castles, swim, snorkel or enjoy a good book.
Caymanians are proud of their history and culture and welcome every chance to share it with visitors.
You can impress the locals by gaining some background knowledge of how people made the Cayman Islands their permanent home at The Cayman Islands National Museum, or experience a more artistic portrayal of how everyday life has evolved in Cayman at The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. With admission costs of less than ten dollars per person and discounted rates for children and seniors, these staples of Grand Cayman will bring you closer to knowing what it means to be Caymanian.
Pack up the whole family and take a day to enjoy a scenic drive around the less crowded eastern side of the island. Make sure the navigator has the Blowholes and Wreck of the 10 Sail historic walk, all of which are free of admission, among their list of stops to make.
It is an extra special treat if your visit aligns with one of the traditional festivals that takes place in Cayman. Watching the reenactment of pirates landing on Grand Cayman during Pirate’s Week, or celebrating the importance of the sea turtle in Cayman’s history by watching or dancing along with the parade of Batabano are sure to be fun for the whole family!
The culinary scene in Grand Cayman is unparalleled, and everybody has got to eat, right? One of the easiest, and arguably most valuable, bonding opportunities here on the island is over the food. From the freshest seafood, to the cultural variation in preparation, to the sheer number of different options of restaurants on the island, it is sure to be an awesome experience planning where to have your meals during your visit. Grab a free copy of Good Taste magazine for easy access to sample menus and reviews of nearly every restaurant, well known and off the beaten path, on Grand Cayman. As you would hear us locals say, “Unna make sure try some fried fish or conch fritters, ya hear?”
For a festive and comprehensive way to sample a wide array of the cuisine in Cayman, consider aligning your visit with our annual festival Taste of Cayman, which usually occurs in February. With over 20 food and drink vendors, live music and entertainment all night and a play area for the kids, this Cayman tradition is sure to be a night to remember. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.tasteofcayman.org.
With something to offer for the nature junkies, beach bums, historians, sightseers and everybody that likes to eat, make sure that your family takes advantage of all the land and sea-based adventures Cayman has to offer.
Within Crazy Crab, all of our guides are passionate about delivering the finest quality private charter to our guests. With a mix of local Caymanians, scuba divers and scuba instructors, and a marine biologist, we have a plethora of knowledge, as well as favorite sites and even favorite animals that we love to show off! With three different sizes of boats with all variety of amenities, we can accommodate up to 14 guests and offer anything from a fast-paced adventure to a laid-back exploratory cruise to visit all the attractions you want to see while on the water. Start planning your boat day in Grand Cayman with Crazy Crab today!
Whether spring break is drawing near after a long, cold winter, or summer is coming to a close and your family needs one last escape before the school year commences in the fall, you have definitely earned a little repose and quality time with the kin.
Finding easily accessible, kid-friendly vacation destinations is challenging, but we know of the perfect tropical getaway that is suitable for every member of your family - the stunning Cayman Islands. In addition to their breathtaking beauty and incredible safety, each island offers a wide range of accommodations and transport methods, and the local Caymanians are welcoming and eager to share their history and culture with visitors.
Above all else, you want to ensure your family’s safety when on vacation. Cayman has an especially low crime rate, and there is no need to exercise special precautions when visiting. Just as you presumably do at home, locking your car doors and not leaving valuables unattended is sufficient to ensure your family’s safety.
Cayman has worked hard to achieve recognition for having not only clean but picturesque beaches. Especially on the west side of the island, beaches are maintained so that they look even better in person than photos you may have seen. We do not only rely on visitors, but we also respect them and want them to have such a memorable and pleasant experience here that Cayman will be first on their list for their next vacation.
Visitors in Cayman are welcomed by locals and residents with friendly smiles and open arms for the same reason our beaches are up kept; we want you here! What makes Cayman stand out when it comes to hospitality is that we appreciate every visitor, big or small, that steps onto our shores, and we want them to know it. We even want to share our “secret spots” so that you experience the very best of Cayman, and keep coming back.
Trekking through large or multiple airports with your family can be tiring and frustrating. Each year, more direct flights from the U.S. are coming to Cayman. All three airports in the Cayman Islands (one on each of the three islands) are small and easy to navigate. The bigger your family is, the more preparation your vacation typically requires. Visiting Cayman requires a valid passport, but visitors do not need any special visas or vaccinations (as per U.S. Department of State’s recommendations).
Once in Cayman, you can rely on our consistent taxi system, which is regulated by the Department of Transportation, or have the freedom of a rental car for your family. Although we drive on the left side of the road in Cayman, the government makes every effort to clearly mark our roads. Rental companies also offer both right and left hand drive vehicles to maximize driver comfort, and notify local drivers of guest drivers by putting rental stickers on all rental vehicles. As we are very thankful to tourists visiting Cayman, locals are understanding and helpful to our visitors that wish to explore the islands with a rental car.
The public bus system can also be an economical and practical way to travel around the island. Each bus is clearly marked, runs on a set route from early morning until early evening, and is only USD$2.50 per person for each length of each route. Check out the bus route map to help plan where to explore.
Especially if you have small children, it can be necessary to have multiple bedrooms or a kitchen space within your accommodations while on vacation. Along with world famous Seven Mile Beach, your family may choose from a range of hotels, as well as vacation rental condos. If you like a little more space, and peace and quiet on your family vacation, consider looking into condos or houses a little further from George Town, towards tranquil East End and Cayman Kai.
Cayman offers a plethora of options for kid friendly family adventures, ranging from historical and cultural exploration to our many outdoor activities. Though the history of Cayman is brief, it is very rich. With many museums and historical sites scattered all around the island where admission costs are less than ten dollars per person, you and your family can immerse yourselves in Caymanian culture, cuisine, and art, and experience the journey of the islands’ history for yourselves.
Don’t miss the chance to board a boat and head out to the spectacular reefs around the island for world-class snorkeling, scuba diving, an unforgettable chance to swim and interact with wild stingrays at Stingray City and gaze upon majestic starfish. With the many options of different sizes of boats on the island, it easy to find the perfectly priced ocean adventure that will give you and your family the facilities and attention that will make for the best time.
Make sure you pick up plenty of reef safe sunscreen so that your family may explore the islands’ natural environment as well! With one of the largest wetland areas in the Caribbean, Cayman’s mangrove trails appeal to hikers, kayakers and paddle boarders hoping to see native birds, green and blue iguanas and all variety of juvenile sea life that take refuge there.
For families that enjoy extreme outdoor sports, consider taking a kitesurfing lesson, hiring jet skis, seeing the island from high above while parasailing or experiencing some of the more untouched beaches in our national parks while on horseback.
Have we mentioned something your family has never done but may want to try? Many excursions offer a private teacher or guide. Make sure to inquire about such options when booking your activities.
When choosing a company to take your kids out on the boat, you want to be assured of more than a competent crew. You want a crew that captivates and engage kids and adults alike, with facilities on board that accommodate every need. Our staff at Crazy Crab are all licensed boat operators with a spread of skills and knowledge, ranging from: the local Caymanians to the marine biologists to the scuba diving instructors to those that have kids of their own, and those that have orchestrated and hosted sea camps for kids. All of our vessels have marine heads (bathrooms) and freshwater showers in addition to the drinks and other provided amenities. There is no more comfortable, convenient and fun way to snuggle the stingrays or race the starfish while you are in Grand Cayman than with Crazy Crab! Discover more about the unforgettable experiences you can have with your family in Cayman and start planning your adventure by visiting www.crazycrabcayman.com
